Annihilation (2018)

[Katie-Ellen]

Title: Annihilation

Tagline: Fear what's inside.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller, Horror

Director: Alex Garland

Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Oscar Isaac, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, Benedict Wong, Sonoya Mizuno, David Gyasi, Sammy Hayman, Josh Danford, John Schwab, Kristen McGarrity, Bern Collaco, Kumud Pant, Honey Holmes, Annarie Boor, Mairead Armstrong, Miroslav Zaruba, Cosmo Jarvis, Matthew Simpson, Daniel Prewitt, Kola Bokinni, Hiten Patel, Odette Michell

Release: 2018-02-22

Runtime: 115

Plot: A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.



Frightening, pictorially surreal and quite interesting. The characters are perhaps rather 2D and there's a totally unnecessary sub plot. It adds nothing in my opinion, but there is a real pathos in the brief exchange between the husband and wife at the end, and it's a killer but I won't say what it is.

The invader though, so far as you can tell (or is it marooned?) is just doing what we would do in its shoes. Just doing what it needs to, trying its best to settle in and navigate its new world, and make itself at home.

Which does not make it one less bit creepy and frightening.
,

 

[Emurelda]

One of those on my 'weird films' list. The only part I found intriguing was the double act in the end when the alien 'glues' herself to herself! In a contorting body slamming sort of way. Really bizarre. Seemed to be a forced 'feminist' thingy for the sake of it. Like books, when you force an issue it sits empty in my mind. Didn't work for me.

 

[AgentPete]

Is this a remake of Tarkovsky's Stalker?

 

[Katie-Ellen]

It was certainly an influence: https://www.avclub.com/what-annihilation-learned-from-andrei-tarkovsky-s-sovie-1819005171

It is a 'loose adaptation' of a novel of the same name, 2014, by Jeff VanderMeer.

 

[AgentPete]

Ah, I wondered!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Well, it held my attention. I think it holds its own and it certainly gave me a few scares.

But what's an alien to do, finding itself alone and stranded in a strange new world.

 

[yanapuma]

I loved Annihilation ... reminds me of Devs ..which is also well worth a look ... also directed by Alex Garland ... who wrote the novel the The Beach